Once a grand and thriving drow city, who's people happily danced in the silvery moonlight, surrounded by sparkling fireflies. Their hearts were full of generosity and kindness,.. for these were the teachings of their wondrous, and beloved goddess, Eilistraee,.. Goddess of Beauty and Song. When she was pleased, she would occasionally appear within the flames of ceremonial fires and dance among her people.

This was the way of the Drow of Moonblade, so many, many years ago.

The city struggled with hardship, and prejudice, it's goodhearted people banished into the nightmare world of the underdark.

Now, after waiting for thousands of years, it people have returned, to finally reawaken the city once more.

Moonblade is a city dedicated to peace and harmony, and to the good drow Goddess, Eilistraee. It's colorful history, is vibrant with honorable heroes, and laced with both tears and joy.

This is it's story, taken from recorded logs and parchments found within the sealed volts of Eilistraee's Temple, translated by her Grand-high priestess, Lady Dhania Pharron, along with much of Lady Dhania's own personal knowledge, and experiences closer to the present time of Moonblade's reawakening.

Art By:  Julia Doering
 

Art By: Jenny Dolfen

It is said, that at the end of the Godwar, a mix of blood from the God, Corellon Larethian, and soil from the world, blessed by the tears of the moon, came long lived beings of ethereal beauty that were bonded with the land, ... the elves. At first, all elves where one people, living in harmony ... but as time passed, some began to lust for power, ... While others could not bear to live within the confining walls of a city. Some, were rabidly xenophobic, wanting to bar outsiders such as humans and dwarves from the Elvin lands. Still others, more moderate in most things, were scorned by their brothers or even despised.

And so they began to group together in bands of others feeling the same, all thinking that they knew best, each imposing their views on their brothern. Sadly, Evil flourished in this atmosphere. During this troubled time, the Spider Queen, Lolth, gained her foothold in the hearts of many elves, now known as the Dark Elves, or the Drow. Lolth's followers began campaigns to gain more and more power, leaving devastation and bloody trails in their wake.

But some drow realizing their folly, chose to make amends for the wrongs in their past, and broke away from their dark hearted kin, and offer kindness to those they met. Some of these groups of drow followed a very new, and kindhearted Goddess named Eilistraee. As a mortal, she had been a strong warrior, leading many, to fight against the evils of her own people, and attempting to guide them back to the ways of light.. When her body was finally defeated, Eilistraee would not relent her struggle to make things right once more.

Art By: Dimagi

It was one of these groups who followed the new goddess, that first built a small village called Moonblade, dedicating it in the name of their beloved Eilistraee. They welcomed any seeking refuge from the pains of the world, so long as they were peaceful and with no evil in their hearts.

This small band found a young twilight dragon, freshly orphaned and took her in, raising her as one of their own. Her deep, dark-blue scales shimmered brilliantly with specks of light blue and silver. Thus she was named, Shimmer. The dragon grew quickly, and eagerly learned of kindness and love. As she matured, she became a protector of the expanding village.

Then came a terrible time, sickness had befallen most of those in the village. They became helplessly weak, and suffered long and horrendous pains as their bodies slowly rotted away. The illness was quickly spreading and many died. It was plain to see that the entire village would soon befall this horrific fate. This, Shimmer, could not accept. She called and pleaded to Eilistraee for help. She was answered within her mind, but she was warned the gods would demand a heavy penalty to herself if Eilistraee was allowed to give aid. Desperate to save her beloved drow families, she agreed without hesitation. With a silvery-blue mist falling upon her from the moonlight above, she suddenly felt very weak herself and collapsed into darkness.

When she awoke, she was surrounded by many of the villagers, all fussing over her with great concern. But now they were so very small to her, as she lifted her great head, it rose higher then ever before. As she shook her head to free her mind of the confusion, the understanding of all that had happened came to her. Shimmer had given many of her life years to the village, her youth was now gone. More over, she understood that she was now fully bound and bonded to Moonblade, so long as it flourished, so would she, but if it fell, so would she. Shimmer cared not, for her adored dark elves were alive and well once more. She also now knew of her own powers, the abilities of an adult twilight dragon, and grinned, for now, she had the powers to heal her beloved friends if ever they became ill again..

Art By: Dimagi

Art By: Adele Sessler

In time, as Lolth's followers continued their quests for power, more drow wanting peace found their way to Moonblade. Soon the village quickly grew into a grand city indeed, but sadly, so had a heated war called the Elven Wars, begin. The malevolence and cruel ways of the Lolth following drow were totally unacceptable to the basically good hearted elves. Banding together, the elves began an epic campaign to destroy the evils of the drow. So a terrible battle between the drow and all the other races of elves began. Many great elven cities fell to ruin, ... It was a ruthless and bloody crusade that lasted for centuries. By the time the war had neared it's end, thousands upon thousands of elves, both drow and light elves had died.

Finally, the elves began to drive all drow below ground, they vowed to send all dark elves into the underground caverns where their demonic goddess had crept as well. Those good intentions of banishing the evil race of the dark elves however, where blindly also condemning those drow that also fought against the evils of their own race.  

The goodhearted dark elves fled to strong holds of those of the same heart, if they could. Often lead by Eilistraee's guidance, by way of dreams or a physical being or creature. The goddess loved her people and did all that she could to aid them. Many came to Moonblade seeking safety and a peaceful home.. As the years passed by, the city grew in strength, but as the dark elves decreased in numbers  above the lands outside the city, so did the numbers of those hounding them, increase. Soon huge armies formed to destroy the drow cities of light, not willing to believe the good intentions of these dark elf cities.

The valiant king of Eilistraee's city, guided by his torn and aching heart, called council. The drow people of the city were of good heart, and good intentions, as were the miss lead attackers of the drow. These pursuers where, by all rights, not true enemies in the hearts and minds of the peaceful drow. They simply were mistaken.. Could the drow then,, fight these confused people in good consciousness?  If they did, all that they were, their well meaning, honor and atonement  of their evil kin, would be lost. But nor could the dark elves sit idle and let themselves be attacked and destroyed, then again, all would vanish.. After a very long tormented debate of what to do, they finally came to a very painful and reluctant agreement. To avoid the enviable bloodshed of both the good drow of the city, and their mislead persecutors,  they would gallantly  sacrifice themselves in the name of peace, and sadly retreat into the foul depths of the underground along with their evil kin. They could only pray that their hearts and the hearts of their children's children, would survive among the foulness of the Lolth drow. With great hopes of someday, returning to their beloved surface world of light and love, the honorable drow of Moonblade quietly slipped out into the night, venturing into the cold blackness of the under-dark to hide among their wicked kin.

Shimmer, the guardian dragon, magically bonded to Moonblade, grew continually weaker as the drow sadly marched in silence from their beloved city in great numbers. She became totally exhausted and slowly crept into her cave, alone now, high in the caverns cradling the northern section of the city. She crawled to a corner of her cave, and curled tightly into a shivering ball, lonely tears slipping from her great eyes as they finally closed. There, among her vast glimmering mountains of treasure, she slept. Eilistraee played one more hand in protecting her faithful dragon, for as the creature fell dormant, along with the city, the huge entrance to the caverns closed like an immense gapping mouth snapping shut with a final rumble that shook villages miles away, representing a final cry of Eilistraee's sorrow.

Then, ... it rained.

Art By: Jenny Dolfen

Art By: Kelley 'Shadowlotus' Ruth

Art By:: Jenny Dolfen

Art By: Simon F. Chevalley de Rivaz

Not long after, the armies came, they stormed the city gates, only to find emptiness. The wind moaned its sorrowful cries across the abandoned buildings. Most everything else was deathly still, accept for the odd, lonely creaking of a swinging door in the breeze. The drow had left all doors open, as a last remaining symbol of welcome to all visitors that came to the city. Even now offering these weary armies a safe place to rest, in quiet peace and comfort from their long, hard march across the lands. The armies found offered stores of wines, juices, fresh water, breads and other foods preserved and set upon the tables as if waiting for their guests to arrive, even pies and cakes neatly set and ready. For this was the way of Eilistraee's peaceful drow.

But there was one door that was sealed tightly, and no matter how hard they tried, no matter how much magic they used, they could not enter, ... the Temple of Eilistraee. For she herself saw to it's sealing and would keep her secrets locked up within, to hopefully await the return of her people once more. The surface folk thought to rebuild the city to their own liking, and use it for themselves but they soon came to realize that no matter how hard they tried, everything they built would fall or rust over night, nothing they planted would grow, even live stock would not breed. Nothing could sustain them for long. They finally realized they were to be guests .. and no more than that. So soon the city was once more abandoned, left alone and unguarded but for the slumbering guardian dragon, who would not wake until the city itself, was ready to be reawaken once more.

Art By:  Unknown

Art By: Santiago Iborra

Art By: Jenny Dolfen

Lolth had watched the lose of the city with great pleasure. The malicious goddess did not want the return of the city to ever come about. For with the goodhearted drow being forced into the dark depths among her evil pets, it would create much chaos and amusement for her. A challenge to her evil followers to find those of good heart hidden among them, new games and toys for her drow to torment and play with, all to entertain her. But best of all, for the wicked spider queen, was the immense weakening of her now mortal enemy, Eilistraee. With the followers of Eilistraee now having to hide, they could no longer openly worship her, thus, in time, less and less would follow her, weakening her that much more. As her own followers would push the evil faith that much more fiercely. And if Lolth had her way, that would mean the final defeat of her enemy once and for all.

With that in mind, Lolth, not wanting the city to be ever rebuilt again, sent forth her spiders to guard over the fallen city, to ensure that none would ever enter. The repulsive, vile beasts found that they could not enter the city itself. So the revolting monsters crawled and patrolled the forests and mountains surrounding it, mercilessly slaughtering any who neared the city. Soon a fearful legend had been set, that all who neared the ruins of the city would fall prey to the wrath of spirits of dark elves, and their hideous pets.
And so, time passed, ... over 5,000 years, ...

About 5,000 years, ... later, the story continues. With valiant heroes who refuse to give up their heart's quest. To escape Lolth's clutches and find their true home.

With the song of Eilistraee whispering in their ears, and the word of Moonblade on their lips, they set out to find this legendary city.

Unknown to them, Lolth's massive minions await them, promising death. There would be a heavy toll for this quest. Were they ready to pay? ... Or would all be lost?

The Story

The story above is based on the unpublished novel by Dimagi. Small, synopsized bits of the novel have been used here to give the very basic history of the City of Moonblade.

All characters and story are property of Dimagi, and are under copy write laws.

Artwork on this page

All Artwork belong to the artists named beneath the pictures. They are properties of that artist and are under copy write protections. They are not a part of Moonblade in any way, but were fitting for the web page.

This page has been given personal, and writen permission to use the wonderful art work of:

Jenny Dolfen, Kelley 'Shadowlotus' Ruth, Adele Sessler,  Simon F. Chevalley de Rivaz,  Santiago Iborra,  Julia Doering,  and  Dimagi

We'd like to thank the artists above for their time and approval!

Those works by Dimagi, of course, ARE part of Moonblade and property of Dimagi, again under copy write protection.

We'd like to thank you for your visit and we do hope that you will come again!